Pipe grab



Nev. 11, 1930. J LYQNS 1,781,335

PIPE GRAB Filed Aug. 25, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor (70% j lg a/w' 5y @Mm A iiomey Nov. 11, 1930.

J. E. LYONS 1,781,335

PIPE GRAB Fi'led Aug. 23, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A itomey U ITE Patented Nov. 11, 1930 PATENT OFFICE JOHN E. LYONS, or TEXHOMA, OKLAHOMA arIrn GRAB i 3 Application filed A ugust 23, 1929. Serial No.387,923.

This inventionrelatesito pipe grabs, and

is particularly adapted forattachment to oil well towers for pulling pipe out of oil wells. One of the objects of the invention is to provide a pipe grabof the character referred to, that will grip'the pipe so that the same maybe pulled in a straight'line out of the oilwell and furthermore to provide a second clamp on the bottom of the tower that will not only cause the upper grab to pull in spaced alinement with the well, but will also prevent the pipe from slipping back into the well in event the pulling grab should slip or otherwise be displaced from the pipe.

Further objects of theinvention are to provide, in a manneras hereinafter set forth, a device of the character referred to, which isstrong, compact and durable, thoroughly reliable for its intended purpose, very simple in its method of assembly, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and operate.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter morespecifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein disclosed an embodiment of theinvention, but it is to be understoodthat changes, variations and modipu i grab.

.ing grab. e by Figure {l is a top plan view of the. lower fications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the claims hereto appended.

I. In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figurel is a fragmentary portion in side elevation of a tower surrounding an oil well and a pipe being withdrawn from the. well with the grabs applied thereto in accordance with the present invention.

. Figure 2 is atop plan view ofthe upper Figure 3 is an end view of theupper pullgrab,

Figure 5 is an end view of the lower grab.

. Referring to the drawings detail, 10 indicates one of four vertically extending posts of an oil well tower of the conventional type.

The posts are reinforced by, horizontal bars 11 in the conventional manner. It is to be understood that theoil well tower is erected over the hole so that the tower can be used for a derrick. -Attached to the top of the is to be attached to the pulley 12 in a manner presently to be described. The lower clamp 16 is adapted to be secured to the post 10 of the derrick adjacent the lower end thereof and presently to be described.

The upper clamp 15 is formed of a metal plate of suitable width and bent to a substantially .U-shaped configuration. The upper leg 17 of the upper clamp is of greater length than theleg 18. The legs 17 18 are braced in spaced relation to each other by a single bolt 19 extending through and secured to each leg. The bolt 19 is located at. the approximate center of the upper leg 17 and adj acent the forward end of the lower leg18. The legs 17, 18 are further braced adjacent the bight portion 20 by a pair of bolts 21, 22 that extend through and are secured to each of the legs. a e The nuts 23, 24 on the upper end of the respectivebolts 21, 22 also hold a cleat 25 e in secured relation to the upper face of the upperleg17. The cleat 25 has an eye. 26

on one endand an upstanding hook 27 on its opposite end. The cleat 25 is disposed above the bight portion of the upper clamp 15. The lower ends of the pair of bolts 21, 22 hold a right-angled bracket 27' secured to the lower 'face of the lower leg 18. One of the legsof the bracket27 is formed with an arcuate concavity 28. The radius of this may vary in accordance with thediameter of the pipe being handled and clamped.

On the forward end of the upper leg 17,

I 1A lug 37 "is' 'forlne'don the s de edge of the t the body thereof is cut out to provide an arc-.

18 is providedwitha trai'isverse'ly extending sleeve 31 preferably formed integral-there with. Y Y

leg 18. The eyes of the clevis 32 straddle the ends of the sleeve 31 and are rockably con-v nected therewith by a pin -33'that"extends through the eyes of the clevis and through the rcomejseparated.

"sleeve 31.; Th'epi'nfl33 is detachable with rejs'pect tothe sleeve and the eyes of the clev is; 'The pin 33isforrned;with an eye 34 onone end, and is connecte d'to onekenjd ofa chain '35 and the opposite end ofthe chain is 'rigidly {connected to staple 36 formed on -=the side'of-the clevis so that when the'pin 33 is withdrawn the clevis and ;pin will not be- 'lower leg' 118 and I the forward edge thereof -abuts against *the rear edge of theclevis to p event the same from swinging "more than ninety'degrees about the pin axis. VA movable triangular link 38 is confined infthei bight portion 20between the bolts 21,

- 22 and said bight portion. One sectionofthe chain 39 1's connected at one endtothe link {3'8"and at its otherend to a ring 40.; Another "section of chain 41 is connected at one end to the ring andon' the free end thereofis provided with a hook 42. p

Inapplying'the' upper hook 15 to'the pipe '43 that is a being pulled from the well the section of chain 4 1 is wrapped about thepipe "and the 'hookf42 is secured in the link in "the ring '40, The ring 40 is then'connected to the hook 13 on the lower pulley 12 as will be jclearly understood by referring to l ligure 1 of'thedrawings. Theclevis 31 is then disi' poseda'bou't the pipe 43 and is connected by [means of'the' pin "'33 to the forward end of {the lower leg 18. I

The arcu'ate concavity 29 on the upper leg L'Z being in alinement with the clevis 31, will be disposed about the pipe 43 above the clevis 3.1. VVhenfpower ,is' applied "for pulling irthepipe in the direction ofthe arrows in Fig- [ire 1; the elainp lt rocks upon the clevis .31

' :as afful'crumandfthe knifegedgej30bit'es into clamp 15 with the exe vided witha right} .ijt l er i hery, c the p p h byp id ee .ti hqgripn omthe" i e; The lowe cla np .16 is similar infall respects to -the upper e'ptionOfthedissinjilaritie's tobe notedibelow." H c Thefcl mp 16 is not providedfwithanyeleatgsiniilartp that 'shown fat 251011 the upper cleat. The] 1e; lcilanipflfi is not'pro- The sleeve 31 is coeiztens ive with the lower Thepi 33 I -clevis and through the sleeve 31. "Thef;pin

rick e the bracket 27 on the upperclamp. The link 38 is similar in all respects to link 38 on the upper clamp and has extending therefrom a singlecable 43 whichmay be a chain having a hook 44 on its outer free end.

. 0 The lower clamp consistslof a U-shaped 7 body portion having an upper leg 17 of g-reater length than 'theilower lega s and the bight por'tion' 20'; Thebottoni clainp 16 has a'singl'e bolt 22 extending through the "legs 'tifor, reinforcing'sthe'same adjacent the bight;

p0rtion'20. Adjacent the forwardend of i t'lie lower shorter leg 18 is a single bolt 19 similar in allrespects to thebolt 19 of the V i upper 'clainp-I "The forward endof the lower @leg 18- is formed Y a sleeve 3lf; and :the .clevis. 32 bas ng eyes thereof straddling ;the

jeXtends through the eyes of-the 33i' is forniedwith 'anc'eye "34 to which one end of thefchain '35; is eoupled and the other end of'the chain; 3.551s secured to Jan eyelet 36' torrnedilon the 1 clevis for the gp'urpose described in the'upper clamp. ;The;forward;edgeof the upperleg' 'lT is 7 provided with an 'arcuate cavity '29 having the knife :edgef301 on itsv upper edge.

rom L'i e fo s'b aaf escrir io I e e; n connection with-Figures4 and 5ofthe drawings; it is .believed' that the points l'a-rit'y anddis-'similarity have been described 'ascolmparediwith thenpjperclainp 15.;

ILIn the application ioti'tlielower. clampgk the arcuate concavity 29 jis disposed f about the pipe '43" and theiclevis 42; is disposedfover the pipe 43-,andfthe f injise" is. inserted through the eyes of the clevis andthrough throughlthe concavity i291 andjtheiclevis 32?. The chai fie is wrappedflabout'one' ofthe posts lootfthe'tower so thatthe clamp .16 will be abovejthe casing o'fcthe well; Thehook 44 is overlapped. on thechain 43and'the clamp 16 is supported" onlthe post '10. The} lower clamp 16 permits the pipe 43 tc be drawn upwardlyyb'ut inevent the iupper clamp should slip or theblock and 'fa'llfdfail to function properly, on the downward fall of the pipe "the clevis-42 will. rock the upper leg 1' so ,that'the knife edge .30 will-lbite intothe falling into the wellfi pipe 43" and hold it securely, I'from "the sleeve. 31' whereby v thej p ipe' extends c til 15 The lower Olimpia also provides itbr u-iding'the pipe 43 Out r the fwell duringltlie cord, cable or rope niayfbe attachedfto the upper leg. of theupper clani'p f 1 5-,- not shown in the drawings, so "that when the upper ,olamvpml 5 is used for lowerin'gwp'ipe intothe'welh' the clamp 15 be "pulled .1120 pullingoperation on tliej ipperclampgl6. A i v upwardly zfrornlthepipe so that1the1operator will Lnot. have to climb to the itop of the (clerferyftime jalnewjgrip, is takenionithe When the upper clamp is used to lower a pipe into the well as distinguished from raising the pipe from the well, the lower clamp 16 may be used to hold the pipe while the upper clamp is being moved upwardly on the pipe to obtain a new grip.

It is to be understood that by describing in detail herein any particular form, structure or arrangement, it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims or the requirements of the prior art.

Having described my invention, what I claim is: r a

l. A pipe clamp comprising a .U-shaped 3 body. portion having legs of unequal length,

9 a cable slidably connected in the bight portion of the body portion, a clevis detachably and pivotally engaged with the free end of the shorter leg, said longer leg having an arcuate concavity on the free end, said concavity having a knife edge on its upper edge adapted to gripthe pipe when the body is rocked on the clevis by the power applied to the cable.

2. A pipe clamp comprising a U-shaped body portion having legs of unequal length,

a cable slidably connected in the bight portion of the body portion, a clevis detachably and pivotallyengaged with the free end of the shorter leg, said longer leg having an arcuate concavity on the free end, said concavity having a knife edge on its upper edge adapted to grip the pipe when the body is rocked on the clevis by the power applied to the cable, said knife-edge of the concavity disposed flush with the upper face of the longer leg, means secured between the legs to prevent them from bending.

3. A pipe grab comprising a U-shaped body having legs of unequal length, a cable secured to the bight portion of the body, a clevis pivotally connected to the end of the shorter leg of the body, the longer leg of the body having in its end a concavity.

4,. A clamp comprising a U-shaped body including a pair of legs connected by a bight portion, a cable attached to the bight portion, the end of one of the legs having a concavity, and a clevis pivotally connected to the end of the other leg.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. 7 JOHN E. LYONS. 

